CARDBOARD, 23min., USA
Directed by Diana Densmore
A neglected young girl builds a cardboard time machine and runs away to the future only to find her adult self in the throes of depression, as the two connect they remind each other of the joy of loving oneself.

https://www.instagram.com/flusshausfilms

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
Alice Prime, the lead actress, had been bugging me to make something with her and my daughter in it for years. So I was trying to write something that would allow them to play opposite each other. The subject matter comes from my own struggles with mental health.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you
to make this film? four or five years… I guess Alice Prime (the lead actress) and I started talking about it, and then a year later, I wrote the first draft. Probably, a year after that, we had a shooting script, and we went into pre-production and production in earnest. By the time we were through the whole post-process, it was another year.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
The process of making it? Chathartic chaos. The final project? sweet sci-fi.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
The rest of life is happening at the same time.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking
about your film in the feedback video?
It’s nice to hear that people connected with the themes and appreciated the film.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? As a kid, my siblings and I would put on plays and make videos. I’m a child of the 80s, so camcorders were just taking off. But I don’t think I really thought about it as a ‘real job’ until I was in college and had to pick a major. Although at that time I thought I wanted to “Be” a screenwriter. Now, I’ve just sort of accepted that I’m a person who does a lot of creative things.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Goonies, Shawshank Redemption, and Run Lola Run are all tied.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
I really enjoy seeing the film with the audience, so I like in person screenings where I can attend and engage with the viewer.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your
experiences been working on the festival platform site? Great

10. What is your favorite meal?
In the winter? I like a big pot roast. In the summer? a large salad with a light dressing.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I’m always working on the next film. I also enjoy painting, poetry, and other forms of writing and art. Keep your eye on www.flusshausfilms.com to follow our work.